A Waukegan woman was released from custody after prosecutors say she stabbed her boyfriend while he was driving a car in Waukegan and fled the scene.
Alexis Benjamin, 31, of Waukegan, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of domestic battery enhanced.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Daly said the Waukegan Police Department responded on January 3 to a 911 call for a domestic battery incident.
The victim, who is in a dating relationship with Benjamin, reported that he had been stabbed at Lloyd Avenue and Lewis Avenue.
Daly said officers arrived to find the victim bleeding from his forearm in his vehicle.
Officers spoke to him and the victim reported he and Benjamin were driving in the car while arguing.
Benjamin, who was in the passenger seat, opened a door of the car to get out while the car was still in motion.
The victim grabbed Benjamin by the shirt with both hands to try to prevent her from falling out of the car, Daly said.
Benjamin took out a pocketknife and the victim realized he had been stabbed, Daly said. Benjamin got out of the car and fled.
Officers searched the area and located Benjamin several blocks away. They found her in possession of the pocketknife used in the incident.
The victim was transported to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan where he was treated for his injuries.
Benjamin told officers that the victim had attacked her in the past and she was fearful during this incident that he would strangle her, which he did not do, Daly said.
Daly said Benjamin told officers that she did not mean to stab her boyfriend but it “happened anyway.”
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Benjamin in the Lake County Jail pending trial, calling her a real and present danger.
Lake County Judge Charles Johnson denied the petition during a detention hearing and released Benjamin.
The victim appeared at the hearing and sought his girlfriend’s release while defending her actions. He said he was not afraid of her.
The judge ordered Benjamin to have no contact with the victim and not possess dangerous weapons.
Benjamin is scheduled to appear in court again on February 1 for a preliminary hearing.